Spartanburg ice rink to open to public Saturday

Friday

Nov 16, 2012 at 8:03 PM

Spartanburg residents will have to wait a little longer for their first spins around downtown’s new ice skating rink.

By KIM KIMZEYkim.kimzey@shj.com

Spartanburg residents will have to wait a little longer for their first spins around downtown’s new ice skating rink.The rink in Morgan Square was set to open to the public at 3 p.m. Friday, but the ice wasn’t fully formed. But the city went forward with a grand opening ceremony last evening.Throngs of people encircled the rink and watched Greenville Figure Skating Club members twirl and display their skills. A polar bear and snowman on skates later spun around the rink and waved at children.It was announced that the ice skating rink would not open Friday evening for safety reasons. The rink is now scheduled to open at 10 a.m. Saturday.People who showed up to skate for free Friday afternoon were given passes for a later date. Those who came to the grand opening were told they could skate free from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.Small students from the Meeting Street Academy sang “Jingle Bells,” with antlers atop their heads and shaking bells.“The rink is in full sun. It’s not shaded at all and that makes it difficult to keep the ice frozen when the temperatures reach 60 and 65 degrees and higher. We’re hoping that people will be able to skate tonight and that we’ll have cooler temperatures so everybody can skate,” City Engineering Administrator Tim Carter said.Even though they could not take their first spin on Friday, people who attended the grand opening ceremony still seemed enthused about the ice skating rink.Pat Messer of Spartanburg was there with her great-grandson Jonathan Campbell. The 8-year-old has never ice skated before and was excited. Messer said they have traveled to Asheville to watch ice skating.Kim Martinez of Wellford also attended with her great nephew, Carter, who was beaming after the polar bear on skates patted the toddler’s head.

“Spartanburg needs more things like this to bring the community together,” Martinez said. “It’s really nice.”Martinez ice skated when she was younger, but has no immediate plans to spin around the new rink.“I don’t know if my bones can take it,” she laughed.Nina Lowery of Spartanburg attended with her son, Fredie, 5, who sang with other students from the Meeting Street Academy.“He’s been wanting to skate since yesterday,” Lowery said.“I think it’s a great thing for the community here,” Lowery said. “It gives the kids and parents and families somewhere else to go local that’s here in Spartanburg and you can catch the bus here as well … a lot of families that don’t drive can get on the bus and still be able to come and have a family outing and something to do with their children.”

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